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Community station motivates, encourages and brings hope

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Presenters and staff of KingfisherFM in Port Elizabeth are celebrating a 50% increase in listenership figures as reflected by the latest Radio Audience Measurement Survey (RAMS) figures which were released on Tuesday this week.

According to recently appointed Programme Manager Roland Gaspar this sharp increase in support is evidence of the beginning of a turnaround for the station, “We are tremendously excited that the listeners in Nelson Mandela Bay are responding positively to the return of KingfisherFM to its Christian core identity.”

Gaspar added that past decisions to move the brand away from its original Christian Community-of-interest positioning had had a negative effect on listenership, “The temptation faced by many Community stations is to try to be all things to all people. Unfortunately in radio terms this can end up in a situation where the on air product becomes so bland and unfocussed that it doesn’t appeal strongly enough to any listeners to retain significant support.”

Since new management took over the station in January this year and Gaspar’s appointment in May, widespread changes have been made to the on air sound of the station. This includes making the music format exclusively Christian Contemporary Music and aiming programming at the Christian Community-of-interest in the Nelson Mandela Bay area. He said that the idea of narrowing the format in this way was not to exclude general music but rather to celebrate and build on their unique selling proposition as a source of modern, up to date Gospel music. “We are also not trying to be ‘sermon FM’ but rather wholesome lifestyle radio with a biblical point of departure and relevance to our geographic community as well. KingfisherFM was established with a license condition that mandates us to serve the community of PE with a Christian message and we have decided to do so by being the good news station that motivates, encourages and above all brings hope.”

Other changes to the station include workshops with presenters to gradually sharpen broadcast skills and improvements to the station’s brand identity jingles. A unique element in the approach to news has been the addition of specific good news bulletins on weekends which feature only stories about positive events in the broadcast area. “We don’t ignore bad news, but we make additional opportunities to celebrate the good which is happening in our community.” said Gaspar.

Kingfisher FM
Kingfisher FM
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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.